Device for making detachable tube-joint

ABSTRACT

The invention is a device for making a detachable tube-joint for example, for supporting structures, gas and liquid transportation pipes; the said device comprising an at least partly threaded shank ( 1 ) with a ring ( 2, 3 , and  20, 30 ) at both ends and an appliance for moving the shank ( 1 ), located at the central part of the shank( 1 ), one of the rings ( 2, 3  and  20, 30 ) being threaded and connected to the shank ( 1 ) by the thread, and both rings ( 2, 3  and  20, 30 ) pressing a springing retainer ( 4, 5  and  40, 50 ) to the internal wall of the tube ( 7   a   , 7   b ), and the end surface ( 4   b   , 5   b  and  40   b   , 50   b ) of the retainer ( 4, 5  and  40, 50 ) resting on a supporting surface perpendicular to the axis ( 14 ), wherein the springing retainer ( 4, 5 ) has a tubular shape outside and a hollow inside and the springing ( 4, 5 ) retainer has a coned surface ( 4   c   , 5   c ) inside, and it has a slit ( 4   a   , 5   a ) along at least one of its generating lines, the ring ( 2, 3 ) is placed inside the retainer ( 4, 5 ) and the rings ( 2, 3 ) are equipped with balls ( 9 ) on their outside, resting on the internal coned surface ( 4   c   , 5   c ) of the retainers ( 4, 5 ) and the device has a construction preventing the threaded ring ( 2 ) and the respective retainer ( 4 ) belonging to this threaded ring ( 2 ) turning away with respect to each other, or the springing retainer ( 40, 50 ) is made of an elastic material and is placed around the ring ( 20, 30 ), and both rings ( 20, 30 ) are constructed in a way suitable for gripping the respective elastic retainers ( 40, 50 ) and suitable for the axial compression of the retainer ( 40, 50 ) while the shank ( 1 ) is moving.

The subject of the invention is a device for marking a detachabletube-joint, for example, for supporting structures, gas and liquidtransportation pipes; the said device comprising an at least partlythreaded shank with a ring at both ends and an appliance for moving theshank, located at the central part of the shank, one of the rings beingthreaded and connected to the shank by the thread, and both ringspressing a springing retainer to the internal wall of the tube, the endsurface of the retainer resting on a supporting surface perpendicular tothe axis. The device according to the invention is suitable for enablingthe quick assembly of the tubes of supporting structures, e.g. oftubular furniture; it may be used, however, for any applicationrequiring the accurate, stable securing in a specific position, of tubesor various appliances placed on tubes, so that the tube-joint isaesthetic and easily and quickly fitted together. Tubular systemsassembled with the device according to the invention have a highload-bearing capacity and are easily made suitable for thetransportation of gases or liquids, also.

Various solutions are known for the assembly of tubes. Such solutionsare presented, for example, in patent descriptions DE-A-2 326 640, U.S.Pat. No. 4,903,924, EP 477 707 and HU 213285. For this latter example,the joining of the tubes is made possible by a device comprising rings,coned on the outside, and retainers, coned on the inside and slit alonga generating line that can be pushed apart by the rings, both beinglocated on a threaded shank, as well as a propelling appliance locatedat the middle of the shank, one of the rings connected to the shank by athread. Although this solution creates stable and aesthetic fastening,it has the disadvantage that, if the propelling appliance is tightenedtoo hard, the coned rings may get stuck inside the coned retainers,which makes detachment troublesome.

The object of the invention is the creation of a device, by eliminatingthe said disadvantage, which enables the making of a stable andaesthetic joint between tubes, easy to join and to detach. A furtherobject of the invention is ensuring that it can be applied for joiningpipes used for the transportation of liquids and gases.

The invention is based on the recognition that the desired goal may beachieved if, in the solution according to the above-mentioned patentdescription HU 213285, the ring is not coned and the stressing force isnot generated between the touching cones; instead, the rolling points ofthe balls convey the stressing force from the ring to the retainer, slitalong its generating line or, if the ring is not coned, and thestressing force is not generated between the touching cones; instead,the retainer itself is made of an elastic material, pressing against thetubes to be connected when pressed together. In the case of pipes usedfor the transportation of liquid or gas, a solution to ensure free flowinside the shank of the connection device as well as appropriate sealingat the joints is established.

The invention is, therefore, a device for making a detachabletube-joint, for example, for supporting structures, gas and liquidtransportation pipes; the said device comprising an at least partlythreaded shank with a ring at both ends and an appliance for moving theshank, located at the central part of the shank, one of the rings beingthreaded and connected to the shank by the thread, and both ringspressing a springing retainer to the internal wall of the tube, the endsurface of the retainer resting on a supporting surface perpendicular tothe axis, the springing retainer being of a tubular shape on theoutside, i.e. of a shape fitting that of the tube, whereas inside it ishollow and

the springing retainer has a coned surface inside as well as a slitalong at least one of its generating lines, the ring being placed insidethe retainer and are equipped with balls on their outside, resting onthe coned internal surface of the retainers and the device has aconstruction preventing the turning away of the threaded ring and therespective retainer belonging to this threaded ring with respect to eachother, or

the springing retainer is made of an elastic material and is placedaround the ring, both rings being constructed in a way suitable forgripping the respective elastic retainers and suitable for the axialcompression of the retainer while the shank is moving, and

in case of necessity, there is an axial bore-hole inside the shank.

It should be noted that, for the purpose of the interpretation of theinvention, the threaded joint of the threaded ring to the shank is to bedeemed equivalent to any other joint resulting in the longitudinalmovement of the ring from the rotating movement of the shank.

If, in the solution according to the invention, the rings are equippedwith balls on their outside, resting on the internal coned surface ofthe retainers, and the device has a construction preventing the turningaway of the threaded ring and the respective retainer belonging to thisthreaded ring with respect to each other, it is practical if theappliance for the movement of the shank is constituted by a carrierdevice and a propelling unit for the movement of the carrier device, thecarrier device is located on the shank and designed in a shape-lockingway, preferably bordered by planes, and the diameter of the propellingunit preferably is equal with the external diameter of the tubes to befitted together, and it is also practical if supporting surfaces forsupporting end surfaces of the retainers, perpendicular to the axis, arelocated on the appliance used for the movement of the, shank, e.g. onits propelling unit.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pivot is used for theprevention of the turning away of the threaded ring and the respectiveretainer with respect to each other, with one end secured inside thethreaded ring and the other fitted into the slit along the retainer.

It may happen that a supporting appliance or a fitting is to bepositioned at the tube-joint, possibly so it may be revolved. This isfacilitated by the use of a spacer between the propelling unit and oneof the retainers, for the positioning of fittings. Using a spacer, it ispossible to connect tubes placed further away from each other.

In the case of pipes for gas or liquid transportation, a bore-hole isconstructed in the shank in order to ensure free flow and the propellingunit is connected to the ends of the pipes, that means tubes, preferablythrough sealing rings in order to achieve the appropriate seal.

The device according to the invention is easily detachable from the tubeends. In the case of the irregularities of the figured surfaces, othermethods may have to be used to facilitate detachability. This purposecould be served, for example, by the construction of an indent on theconed surface of the retainers as well as of raised collars on thepropelling unit, the collars being clicked into the said indents.

If the springing retainer is made of an elastic material and is placedaround the ring both rings being constructed in a manner suitable forgripping the respective elastic retainers as well as for the axialcompression of the retainer while the shank is moving, it is practicalif the ring is constituted by two opposing pieces sliding inside oneanother, equipped with a flange and a sheath, where the sheath of thefirst piece is threaded on the shank, whereas the sheath of the secondpiece is threaded on the first piece, and the thread is constructedinside the sheath of the first piece of the threaded ring connected tothe shank.

Further, it is practical if the appliance for the movement of the shankis constituted by a carrier device, constructed in a shapelocking way,favourably bordered by planes, and a propelling unit for the movementthereof, the diameter of the propelling unit favourably being equal withthe external diameter of the tubes to be fitted together; further, if,at the same time, there is on the appliance used for the movement of theshank, e.g. on its propelling unit, a supporting surface supporting,perpendicular to the axis, the flanges of the second pieces of therings, and the flanges support the end surfaces of the elastic retainersperpendicular to the axis.

Using the device according to the invention, a safe and aesthetictube-joint can very easily and quickly established, the detaching alsobeing quick and easy as the device does not seize. The connectionrequires no treatment on the tubes, which can be secured in any positionrotated around their axis. Further, the device may be applied to theconnection of liquid and gas transportation pipes. The device canfurther be applied to the connection of other than cylindrical tubes,e.g. for quadrangle-section tubes as well.

In the following, drawings are used to present examples of the inventionin more detail.

FIG. 1: A section of an embodiment of the device according to theinvention, having a retainer, slit along its generating line.

FIG. 2: Half-view, half-section of another embodiment of the deviceaccording to the invention, having a retainer, slit along its generatingline.

FIG. 3: Half-view, half-section of a further embodiment of the deviceaccording to the invention, having a retainer, slit along its generatingline.

FIG. 4: Half-view, half-section of a further embodiment of the deviceaccording to the invention, having a retainer, slit along its generatingline.

FIG. 5: A section of an embodiment of the device according to theinvention, having a retainer made of an elastic material.

FIG. 6: Half-view, half-section of another embodiment of the deviceaccording to the invention, having a retainer made of an elasticmaterial.

FIG. 1 shows a section of the embodiment of the device according to theinvention. The device, connecting the ends of tubes 7 a and 7 b,comprises the following parts. The upper part, according to the drawing,of shank 1 is threaded up to the carrier device 6. Rings 2 and 3, withballs 9 placed inside their cavities, are positioned on shank 1.Practically, several evenly distributed balls belong to a ring. Ring 2is connected to shank 1 by a thread, whereas ring 3 is positioned onshank 1 by a loose fit, supported at the flaring-out end of shank 1.Retainer 4 and 5 are cylindrical on the outside and hollow inside,having a coned surface 4 c and 5 c and a slit 4 a and 5 a along at leastone or several of their generating lines. Rings 2 and 3 are placedinside retainers 4 and 5. Balls 9 rest on the internal coned surface 4 cand 5 c of retainers 4 and 5, while being revolving. The turning awaywith respect to each other of the threaded ring 2 and the respectiveretainer 4 belonging to the ring 2 is prevented by a pivot 10, with oneof its ends fastened inside ring 2, the other being fitted into the slit4 a along the retainer 4. The appliance for the movement of shank 1comprises the carrier device 6, constructed in a shapelocking way,practically bordered by planes, and the propelling unit 8, capable ofthe movement of it. The carrier device 6 could be, for example, athreaded nut screwed up and fastened at the middle of shank 1. Theexternal diameter of the propelling unit 8 is practically equal with theexternal diameter of tubes 7 a and 7 b to be joined, with collarsconstructed on it for tubes 7 a and 7 b. The carrier device 6, and thusthe shank 1 can be rotated by the propelling unit 8, using, for example,a suitable tool that can be fitted into the blind hole 8 c. Thepropelling unit 8 contains the supporting surface 8 a and 8 b for thesupporting, perpendicular to the axis 14, of the end surfaces 4 b and 5b of retainers 4 and 5. At the construction according to FIG. 1,rotating the propelling unit 8 also causes the shank 1 to rotate, whichin turn makes rings 2 and 3 move closer to each other along the axis 14,with the respective balls 9 pressing the coned surfaces 4 c and 5 c ofthe retainers 4 and 5 outwards, causing the slits 4 a and 5 a to openwider and the retainers 4 and 5 to be pressed against the inner wall ofthe tubes 7 a and 7 b. On detaching, rotating the propelling unit 8 itthe opposite direction causes the rings 2, 3 to move away from eachother, reducing the pressure of balls 9 on the retainers 4 and 5,enabling the removal of the device.

The embodiment presented in FIG. 2 includes a further measure ascompared to FIG. 1, in order to ensure the ease of the detachment. Thissolution is practical whenever the device contains inaccuracies in itsfinishing, surface irregularities, ovality, eccentricity, etc. As shown,indents 4 d, 5 d are constructed on the coned surface 4 c, 5 c of theretainers 4 and 5 as well as protruding collars 8 d, 8 e are constructedon the propelling unit 8, with indents 4 d, 5 d clicked thereon,enabling the even easier removal of the device from tubes 7 a and 7 b.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 has a spacer 11 added, with respect toFIG. 1, between the propelling unit 8 and one of the retainers 4 and 5,in this case retainer 5. On the spacer 11, for example a tube section 12could be positioned, e.g. with a fitting attached to it in a revolvingfashion, in case of necessity. Applying the appropriate lengths of thetube section 12, tubes 7 a, 7 b, at various distances, could beconnected.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has a bore-hole 1 a added, with respectto FIG. 1 in the shank 1 for the purpose of gas or liquidtransportation, and the propelling unit 8 is equipped with indents tohold the sealing rings 13 a, 13 b, the propelling unit 8 connecting tothe ends of tubes 7 a, 7 b via these sealing rings.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the device according to the invention,where the retainers 40 and 50 are made of an elastic material. Thedevice, connecting the ends of tubes 7 a and 7 b, comprises thefollowing parts. The upper part, according to the drawing of shank 1 isthreaded up to the carrier device 6. Ring 20 is connected to shank 1 bya thread, whereas ring 30 is positioned on by a loose fit. Retainers 40and 50 surround rings 20 and 30 in a circular layout. The appliance forthe movement of shank 1 comprises the carrier device 6, constructed in ashape-locking way, favourably bordered by planes, and the propellingunit 8, capable of the movement of it. The carrier device 6 could be,for example, a threaded nut bolted up and fastened at the middle ofshank 1. The diameter of the propelling unit 8 is practically equal withthe external diameter of tubes 7 a and 7 b to be joined. The carrierdevice 6, and thus the shank 1 can be rotated by the propelling unit 8,using for example, a suitable tool that can be fitted into the blindhole 8 c. The propelling unit 8 contains the supporting surfaces 8 a and8 b for the supporting the flanges 22 a and 32 a of the pieces 22 and32, the other sides of these flanges supporting, in turn, the endsurfaces 40 b and 50 b of the retainers 40 and 50. The rings 20 and 30are constituted by a pair of opposing sheathed pieces 21, 22 and 31, 32,sliding inside one another, equipped with a flange 21 a, 22 a and 31 a,32 a, where the sheaths of the first pieces 21 and 31 are threaded onthe shank 1, whereas the sheaths of the second pieces 22 and 32 arethreaded on the first pieces 21 and 31, the thread being constructedinside the sheath of the first piece 21 of the threaded ring 20,connecting to the shank 1. In the construction according to FIG. 5,rotating the propelling unit 8 also causes the shank 1 to rotate, whichin turn makes the first pieces 21 and 31 of the rings 20 and 30 movecloser to each other along the axis 14, while pressing the retainers 40and 50 together, causing them to press against the inner wall of thetubes 7 a and 7 b as well as against the pieces, thus creating thejoint.

On detaching, however, rotating the propelling unit 8 in the oppositedirection causes the first pieces 21, 31 to move away from each other,reducing the pressure on the retainers 40 and 50, enabling the removalof the device.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 has a borehole 1 a inside the shank 1added, with respect to FIG. 5, for the purpose of gas or liquidtransportation. Using this solution, further sealing is not necessarilyrequired. In case of necessity, however, a sealing solution similar tothe one shown in FIG. 4 could be used here as well, also shown in thisFIG. 6. The device according to the invention may be designed in anumber of versions within the protected scope, including embodimentsdifferent from the examples presented above.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for making a detachable tube-joint forjoining a first tube opposite a second tube; said device comprising anat least partly threaded shank with a first ring at one end and a secondring at an opposite end; the shank being rotatable; said first ringbeing threadedly connected to the shank; said first ring, pressing anassociated springing first retainer to an internal wall of the firsttube; said second ring pressing an associated springing second retainerto an internal wall of the second tube; an end surface of each of saidfirst and second retainer resting on a supporting surface perpendicularto an axis of the device; the first and second retainer having a tubularshape outside and a hollow with a coned surface inside; said first andsecond retainer having a slit along at least one of the generating linesof the first and second retainer, the first ring being placed inside thefirst retainer and the second ring being placed inside the secondretainer, the first retainer being in said first tube, while said secondretainer with the second ring is placed in said second tube, whereinsaid first and second ring have balls on their outside, resting on theconed surface of the first and second retainers and the device furthercomprising connecting means connecting the first ring to the firstretainer for preventing turning away of the first ring and the firstretainer with respect to each other, and by rotating the shank saidfirst and second rings move closer to each other along the axis andthrough the balls press the first and second retainers, respectively, tothe inner wall of the first and second tubes, respectively.
 2. Thedevice according to claim 1, wherein balls are placed in cavities formedin the rings.
 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the shank isrotatable through a propelling means and the carrier device, saidcarrier device is being fastened on the shank, the carrier device havingexterior surfaces and the propelling means having interior surfaceswhich surfaces being generally conform to the exterior surfaces of thecarrier device to provide a joint turning of the propelling means andthe carrier device; and external diameter of the propelling means beinggenerally equal with the external diameter of first and second tube, andthe propelling means having a supporting surface for supporting an endsurface of the first and second retainer.
 4. The device according toclaim 1 wherein the connecting means comprises a pivot that prevents theturning away with respect to each other of the threaded ring and theassociated first retainer, one end of said pivot being secured insidethe first ring, an opposing end fitted into the slit along the firstretainer.
 5. The device according to claim 3 wherein a spacer is betweenthe propelling unit and one of the first and second retainers.
 6. Thedevice according to claim 3 wherein the propelling means is connected tothe ends of each of the first and second tubes through sealing rings. 7.The device according to claim 1 wherein indents are constructed on theconed surfaces of the first and second retainers and raised collars areconstructed on the propelling unit, and the collars are fitted into theindents.
 8. The device according to claim 1, wherein an axial bore-holeis inside the shank.
 9. A device for making a detachable joint forconnecting a first tube to a second tube, said device comprising an atleast partly threaded shank with a first and second ring at oppositeends and a means for rotating the shank, said first ring beingthreadedly connected to the shank, and said first ring pressing a firstspringing retainer to an internal wall of said first tube, said secondring pressing a second springing retainer to an internal wall of saidsecond tube and end surfaces of said first and second rings resting on arespective supporting surface perpendicular to an axis of said device,and the first and second retainer having a substantially tubularexterior shape on and a hollow interior, the first retainer with thefirst ring is placed in the first tube, and the second retainer with thesecond ring is placed in the second tube, wherein the first and secondspringing retainer is an elastic material and placed around each offirst and second ring, said first and second rings capable of grippingthe first and second retainers and axially compressing the first andsecond retainers respectively while the shank is rotating.
 10. Thedevice according to claim 9, wherein each of said first and second ringscomprises a pair of telescoping opposing pieces, each said piece havinga flange and a sheath, the sheath of a first piece being positioned onthe shank and the sheath of a second piece being positioned on the firstpiece, the thread being in the sheath of the first piece.
 11. The deviceaccording to claim 10, wherein the means for rotating the shankcomprises a carrier device and a propelling means for rotating thecarrier device, the carrier device being located and fastened on theshank and conforming to an interior surface of the propelling means forproviding a joint turning of the propelling means and the carrierdevice, an external diameter of the propelling means being substantiallyequal with an external diameter of the first and second tubes; and themeans for rotating the shank having a surface for supporting,perpendicularly to the axis, the flanges of the second pieces of therings.
 12. The device according to claim 9, wherein an axial bore-holeis inside the shank.